Combination highway flare and portable flare gun

ABSTRACT

A combination highway emergency flare having a spike on one end and ignitable on the other to produce an emergency signal combined with a portable flare gun which automatically propels the flare to embed the spike into the highway surface while simultaneously igniting the flare by action of the propelling charge. A dozen or more flares are carried in the gun in revolving barrels which are brought to alignment with the trigger by hand rotation of the barrels. Detent stops assist in aligning the barrels with the trigger.

TJnited States Patent 1 91 1111 3,921,325

Tennigkeit Nov. 25, 1975 COMBINATION HIGHWAY FLARE AND 3,628,416 10/1969 Kernan 102/37.8

PORTABLE FLARE GUN [76] Inventor: Kalenen T. Tennigkeit, 4100 Primary Examiner verlin Pendegrass Foothill Blvd Oroville Calif Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan 95965 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Blair & Brown [22] Filed: July 15, 1974 57 ABSTRACT 21 Appl. No.: 488,419

A combination highway emergency flare having a spike on one end and ignitable on the other to pro- [52] US. Cl 42/1 Z; 102/37.6; 102/373" duce an emergency Signal Combined with a portable [51] Int. Cl. F41C 27/06; F4213 4/26 flare gun Which automatically propels the flare to [58] Fleld of Search 42/1 Z; lO2/37.52, 37.8, embed the Spike into the highway Surface While Sit-huh 102/376 taneously igniting the flare by action of the propelling charge. A dozen or more flares are carried in the gun References Cited in revolving barrels which are brought to alignment UNITED STATES PATENTS with the trigger by hand rotation of the barrels. Detent 1,947,834 2/1934 Driggs, Jr. et al 42/1 2 SIOPS assist in aligning the barrels with the trigger- 2,097,023 10/1937 Driggs, Jr. et al 42/1 Z 2,751,582 6/1956 Kuykendall 102/378 5 4 D'awmg v v 24 L 26 36 38 9 COMBINATION HIGHWAY FLARE AND PORTABLE FLARE GUN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to combination highway flares and portable flare guns.

2. Summary of the Invention The flare of the instant invention is ignitable on one end to produce a signal flame and is provided with a spike at the other end for embedding in the road surface to support the flare. The portable flare gun uses a dozen rotatable barrels which are brought into alignment with the trigger by hand action and held there by a spring detent. Each barrel has a propelling cartridge charge which propels the flare from the barrel while simultaneously igniting the flare.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a combined highway flare and portable flare gun therefore to permit flares to be placed accurately and quickly around the scene of a highway emergency to prevent further involvement in the emergency.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally a combined emergency highway flare portable flare gun unit constucted in accordance with the invention.

The combined unit 10 includes a flare 1 l of generally cylindrical construction and having a road surface penetrating spike 12 extending outwardly from the lower -end thereof. The upper end of the flare 11 is ignitable Eat 13 and the flare 11 will burn for a considerable period of time throughout its length to produce a signal .flame. The unit 10 includes a flare gun generally indi- 'cated at 14. The gun 14 includes a frame 15 having a pistol grip 16 extending downwardly therefrom. A trigger guard 17 is formed on the pistol grip 16 and extends to the frame 15. The forward end of the frame 15 includes a disk 18 which is integrally formed thereon. A shaft 19 extends axially forwardly of the disk 18 as can be seen in FIG. 2. A washer 20 is detachably secured to the outer end of the shaft 19 by means of a cap screw 21.

The disk 18 has a bore 22 formed therein with its axis parallel to the shaft 19.

A firing pin 23 is mounted on a pivot 24 within the frame 15 and is urged by a spring 25 so as to project through the bore 22 for reasons to be assigned. A sear 26 engages the firing pin 23 and is held in engagment therewith by a spring 27. A trigger 28 is mounted in the 2 frame 15 on a pivot 29 and a spring 30 urges the trigger 28 in a direction opposite to the normal trigger pull. The sear 26 is mounted on a pivot pin 31 which extends through the trigger 28.

As the trigger 28 is pulled in the normal fashion the sear 26 forces the firing pin 23 in a counter clockwise direction around the pivot 24 against the pressure of the spring 25. As the firing pin 23 approaches its rearmost position the sear 26 disengages therefrom due to the rotary action thereof and the firing pin 23 is forced forwardly by the spring 25 to project through the bore 22.

A cylindrical barrel member 32 is journalled on the shaft 19 and includes a plurality of barrel chambers 33 each of which is adapted to contain a flare 11. The barrel member is recessed at 34 adjacent its outer end to receive a coil spring 35 held in place by the washer 20 to maintain the barrel member 32 in engagement with the disk 18. The disk 18 on the side thereof toward the barrel member 32 includes a plurality of detent sockets 36 corresponding in number to the barrel chambers 33. A ball detent 37 is mounted in the rear of the barrel member 32 and is urged by a spring 38 into engagement with a selected one of the sockets 36. With the ball detent 37 engaged in a respective socket 36 one of the barrels 33 are aligned with the bore 22 and the firing pin 23.

A propelling and igniting cartridge 39 is seated in each of the barrel chambers 33 to propel the flare 11 from the barrel member 32 while simultaneously igniting it. The propelling and igniting cartridge 39 is exploded by the firing pin 23 when the trigger 28 is pulled.

The combined flare and flare gun may be used by firing the flare directly downwardly into the highway surface while simultaneously igniting the flare or it can be used to fire the flare upwardly in an arc so as to position it a much greater distance from the emergency in the highway.

The barrel member 32 is rotated by hand with the detent ball 37 resisting the rotation until a firm pressure is brought to bear on the barrel member 32.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination highway flare and portable flare gun unit comprising a flare member having an elongate generally cylindrical burnable body ignitable at one end and a roadway penetrating spike projecting from the opposite end, said flare gun including a frame, a pistol grip integrally formed on said frame, a rotatable barrel member, means mounting said barrel member on said frame for rotation thereon, means on said frame for aligning said barrel member with said frame, a firing pin, and means on said frame for propelling said firing pin toward said barrel member to fire propelling and igniting cartridges mounted therein with said flare member.

2. A device as claimed in claim I wherein said frame includes a disk extending transversely thereto and a shaft extending substantially perpendicularly to said disk forwardly thereof and forming the means mounting said barrel member to said frame.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for moving said firing pin into firing position with re- 3 spect to said barrel member includes a hand actuated trigger.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said shaft is substantially equal in length to said barrel member 5. A device as claimed in claim 4 including a spring surrounding said shaft and engaging said barrel member to maintain said barrel member in contact with said and means are provided on said shaft for detachably se- 5 framecuring said barrel on said shaft. 

1. A combination highway flare and portable flare gun unit comprising a flare member having an elongate generally cylindrical burnable body ignitable at one end and a roadway penetrating spike projecting from the opposite end, said flare gun including a frame, a pistol grip integrally formed on said frame, a rotatable barrel member, means mounting said barrel member on said frame for rotation thereon, means on said frame for aligning said barrel member with said frame, a firing pin, and means on said frame for propelling said firing pin toward said barrel member to fire propelling and igniting cartridges mounted therein with said flare member.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame includes a disk extending transversely thereto and a shaft extending substantially perpendicularly to said disk forwardly thereof and forming the means mounting said barrel member to said frame.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for moving said firing pin into firing position with respect to said barrel member includes a hand actuated trigger.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said shaft is substantially equal in length to said barrel member and means are provided on said shaft for detachably securing said barrel on said shaft.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4 including a spring surrounding said shaft and engaging said barrel member to maintain said barrel member in contact with said frame. 